Meaning & Origins

Transferred use of the surname of a great noble family, which rose to prominence in England during the 16th century. The Cecils were of Welsh origin, and their surname represents an Anglicized form of the Welsh given name Seissylt. In the Middle Ages Cecil was occasionally used as an English form of Latin Caecilius (an old Roman family name derived from the byname Caecus ‘blind’), borne by a minor saint of the 3rd century, a friend of St Cyprian.

English: occupational name for a keeper of a lodging house, Middle English innmann, from Old English inn ‘abode’, ‘lodging’ + mann ‘man’. Until recently there was in England a technical distinction between an inn, where lodgings were available as well as alcoholic beverages, and a tavern, which offered only the latter.